Charles j



G. J. APPLETON.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 27.183. Patented Feb. 14, 1860.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. APPLETON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ,ASSIGNOR TO B. H.HOVELL, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., AND JOHN COTTON, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,183, dated February 14, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,O1-IARLEs J. ArrLEToN, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Knitting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in machines for knitting circularfabrics, and my improvement consists in a system of hinged needles andsinkers combined with a thread guide, a wheel with a serrated edge, anda cam, or their equivalents arranged and operating substantially asdescribed hereafter, so as to produce a circular knitted fabric, rapidlyand without interruption.

In order to enable others skilled in this class of machinery to make anduse my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction andoperation.

On reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of thisspecificatio Figure 1, is a plan view of sufficient of a knittingmachine, to illustrate my improvements. Fig. 2, a sectional elevation onthe line 1, 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3,the same on the line 3, 4:. Fig. 4:, the same on the line 5, 6.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A, and A, are portions of annular plates the under plate A, beingconnected to a lower annular plate B, by means of pillars C, or othersuitable attachments.

Into the top of the under plate A, and throughout its entirecircumference are cut a series of recesses for receiving the needles D,which are of the class technically termed hinged needles, each needlehaving a hooked end and a pawl or latch hung to a shank within a slot,the pawl resting on the end of the hook when not raised therefrom by themeans described hereafter.

Another annular plate E, is secured to the plate B, by means of bracketsF, and to this plate E, are hinged the lower ends of the arms G, which Iterm the sinkers, the latter being so arranged that one sinker shallcoincide with, and move in the space between two adjacent needlesthroughout the circumference of the machine.

The above mentioned parts, namely; the annular plate A, with itsneedles, the annular plates B, and E, with the sinkers G, all revolvetogether around a common center, which is the center of the annularplates.

It will be readily understood by those familiar with the constructionand operation of knitting machines, and without any detaileddescription, that various different appliances may be used for causingthe above parts to revolve.

The upper annular plate A, which serves to maintain the needles in theirproper position is stationary, being permanently secured in anyconvenient manner to the frame or stands of the machine.

To the plate A, is secured a bracket H, to which a wheel I, withserrated edges, is hung loosely, so as to revolve freely immediatelybelow but not in contact with the needles. To the upper plate A, is alsosecured another bracket J, the end of which is bent downward so as to benear to the needles without actually touching them, the bent end of thebracket having an eye to guide the thread L.

To the inner edge of the plate A, is secured a cam K, which bearingagainst the outer edges of the sinkers serves to force the latter towardthe center of revolution as the needles revolve.

Prior to starting the machine a portion of circular knitted work isplaced with its loops in the hooked ends of the needles and a suitableweight is attached to the lower end of the fabric, the end of the threadL, is then passed through the eye in the end of the bracket or threadcarrier J. The needles with their sinkers being now caused to revolve inthe direction of the arrow (Fig. 1.), the serrated wheel I, is in such aposition as regards the )OIIlllS of the needles that the loops of thatportion of the fabric which moves in contact with the serrated edge ofthe wheel, will be forced back over the shanks of the needles, the pallsor latches being also turned back at the same time. The thread L,passing through the eye on the bent end of the bracket J, catches ontothe hook of each needle in succession as the needles revolve. Aftertheneedles with the thread L, caught on their hooks have passed this eyethe sinkers G, which had previously been forced outward with the fabric,by the serrated wheel I, will now be forced gradually inward by the camtoward the center of the machine. By this' inward movement of thesinkers the loops of the fabric are gradually slid along the needles,turning down their pawls or catches until they rest on the hooked ends,and finally pushing the loops of the fabric entirely from the ends ofthe needles and leaving the loop newly formed from the thread L, on thehooked ends, these loops being carried around with the fabric until theyagain arrive at the serrated wheel which forces them back and turns overthe palls preparatory to the thread catching again over the hookedpoints of the needles and the subsequent forcing of is the last formedloops of the fabric from the ends of the needles as before.

It will now be seen without further description, that the continualrotary movement of the needles with their sinkers, acting in conjunctionwith the serrated wheel I, and cam K, a circular knitted fabric may berapidly and accurately produced without interruption.

The machine, part of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing isone of a class of the larger size arranged for knitting under-shirts andconsequently the needles and sinkers are arranged in a circle ofextended diameter to correspond with the extent'of the fabric. Inmachines of this size the arrangement of the cam K, thread guide J, andserrated wheel I, may be repeated throughout the circumference of thewheel, so that the number of complete rows of loops added to the fabricat every complete revolution of the needles and sinkers will correspondto the number of cams, guides, and serrated wheels employed. In theclass of largest machines for instance six or eight sets of thesedevices may be used While in the smallest machines but two sets will benecessary. 1

Although I have described the needles and their sinkers as revolving, itwill be readily seen that the same end may be accom- CHARLES J.APPLETON.

Witnesses HENRY HOWSON, CHARLES D. FREEMAN.

